LED Lights Vs. HPS

But the point was to save some on the grow. I bought LED to experiment. You didnt even try.
You can save some on your lighting by buying led`s to grow your seedlings up to 6-8 inches, then switch to "proper" lighting.
I am not recommending LED`s ,they are fairly useless for a full grow.
What am i saving besides on my electric bill ill see at the end of the month.A 90 watt ufo cost 150 a 400 hps cost 119 im saving 30 right there with 310 more watts.I rather go with the hid then led.My seedlings go right under hid and they love it.From day 1 popping from the soil under a 150 hps when they are ready to flower they go into a tent with a 400 hps.
 

LEDGrowKing

Active Member
What am i saving besides on my electric bill ill see at the end of the month.A 90 watt ufo cost 150 a 400 hps cost 119 im saving 30 right there with 310 more watts.I rather go with the hid then led.My seedlings go right under hid and they love it.From day 1 popping from the soil under a 150 hps when they are ready to flower they go into a tent with a 400 hps.
LED's are mainly for long-term usage and heat restrictions. I have a small closet with a 4" intake fan and one house fan, running ~1200w (400w is HPS, 820w LED). If I were running ALL HPS the temps would be over 90F, but it runs a cool 78F. I've been using the same LEDs for almost a year now; they are rated at 10 year, but I'll give them 5 before they lose light. My HPS has already been through 2 bulbs this year (continuous growing), at 50-100$ apiece (depending on brand) that adds up quick.

5 years of HPS can run 500$ in bulbs. I paid that for my 450w LED. It should last just about as long, if not longer than 5 years worth of bulbs. On top of that, the power savings from the cooling bill put LED ahead; but, in the long term only.

But, if you need extra watts in a small space with ventilation restrictions, LED are the way to go.

Once prices of LEDs keep dropping, I believe that they will replace HPS for smaller scale grows soon (2000w and lower). HPS still dominates large scale. LED's just don't have the coverage yet.
 
LED's are mainly for long-term usage and heat restrictions. I have a small closet with a 4" intake fan and one house fan, running ~1200w (400w is HPS, 820w LED). If I were running ALL HPS the temps would be over 90F, but it runs a cool 78F. I've been using the same LEDs for almost a year now; they are rated at 10 year, but I'll give them 5 before they lose light. My HPS has already been through 2 bulbs this year (continuous growing), at 50-100$ apiece (depending on brand) that adds up quick.

5 years of HPS can run 500$ in bulbs. I paid that for my 450w LED. It should last just about as long, if not longer than 5 years worth of bulbs. On top of that, the power savings from the cooling bill put LED ahead; but, in the long term only.

But, if you need extra watts in a small space with ventilation restrictions, LED are the way to go.

Once prices of LEDs keep dropping, I believe that they will replace HPS for smaller scale grows soon (2000w and lower). HPS still dominates large scale. LED's just don't have the coverage yet.
Yeah agreed except for where you go 2000 w and lower.No grower in his right mind would use a 600 or 1000 led compared to a 600 or 1000 watt hps.I would say more like 120 watts and lower.Because i will def pick up my 400hps over a 300 watt led.Once the price starts to drop on it then maybe you will see it replace mh 250 and lower and hps 150 and lower.
 

Eviljay

Member
The problem for me isn't so much the power from the lights -- it's the power drawn by fans, not to mention the noise caused by fans and the hassle of venting etc. A UFO grow could be done in a lot of places where you simply could not put any kind of HID system -- or where HID would require a whole bunch of structural mods etc.
I have a 600W HPS, a wall mounted 16" ocilating fan, and a 425CFM Whole House Exhaust fan running and my total wattage is 809W. Those Fans dont pull any power relativily speaking. That setup is costing me $26 a month to run 18 hours a day. There's not that much power consumption. These guys with 30 CFL's are using more wattage with FAR less lumens... The venting sucks, but do it once and do it right.

Finishing venting my flower room right now. Ductwork is costing me more than a 1000W light...
 
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